I mentioned in a post yesterday that dental diseases are related to diabetes and cardiovascular disorders. They are not the direct and only cause for either but contribute to making the condition worse.

Reuters Health recently published an article that talked about a research study that linked type 2 diabetes with gum disease. According to the results of this research those with moderate to severe periodontal or gum disorders are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

Researchers found that among nearly 9,300 U.S. adults who were followed for 17 years, those who began the study with gum disease were more likely to develop diabetes later on. Men and women with moderate gum disease had twice the risk of diabetes as those with healthy gums, while substantial tooth loss was linked to a 70 percent higher risk.

They don’t claim that gum disease causes diabetes, but that it’s presence can increase the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes later on in life.

He added, however, that more studies are needed both to prove that gum disease directly contributes to type 2 diabetes, and, from there, that treating the dental problem can prevent diabetes.

Thus, from the research findings better oral health care may not protect you from diabetes. However, more study needs to be conducted to verify whether there is a stronger relationship between gum disease and diabetes.

The article also notes that this finding is similar to the research that pointed to periodontal diseases as risk factors for cardiovascular conditions. This other finding can be related to the relation between type 2 diabetes and gum disease as well.

Still, the findings are in line with research suggesting that gum disease is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Gum disease arises from bacterial infection, and it is thought that chronic, systemic inflammation in response to the bacteria may contribute to cardiovascular disease.

In theory, this could also explain the link to diabetes. Demmer noted that inflammatory molecules could, for instance, affect the body’s sensitivity to the blood-sugar-regulating hormone insulin. For now, though, that is a theory.